Corn and bunion shield



F@ib. W, 11923,, mwms J. H. SMITH CORN AND BUNION SHIELD Filed June 21, 1921 INVENTEIE AT T EIHN EY 5 Bill all

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JOSEPH H. SMITH, 01F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 MARTHA ELIZABETH SMITH, or LYNN,

MASSACHUSETTS,

con AND BUNION snrnnn.

Application filed June 21,

1/ 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, JOSEPH H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corn and Bunion Shields, of which the following is a specification.

adapted to conform to the height orprojection of the protuberance and rest thereon without causing discomfort, the orifice and cover forming an adjustable socket, and the cover being displaceable to expose the protuberance and permit the application of salve thereto.

Another object. is to provide improved means for anchoring a shield to the great toe of the wearer, in such manner as to adjustably confine the shield in its operative position.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which it will now proceed to describe and claim. I

Of the accompanying drawings forminga part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side view of a bunion shield, without the anchoring means.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2- 52 of Figure 1. 1

Figure 3 is a side View showing the anchoring means in an inoperative condition.

Figure 4 is aview similar to Figure 3, showing the anchoring means in condition for use.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the flap displaced.

Figure (5 is a side view of a corn shield.

Figure 7 is asec-tion on line 7-7 of Figure 6. V

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

A shield embodying my invention is'a normally flat flexible pad made of soft compressible material such as felt, and includes a base portion 12, having a protuberance-receiving orifice 13, the wall of which is conthere is no liability of 1921. Serial No. 479,196.

tinuous and preferably beveled, and a flap ll'connected at one end with the base portion and normally covering the orifice, the pad being also of soft compressible material such as felt, and forming a compressible cushion over a protuberancein the orifice The flap is adapted to conform to the height of a protuberance such as a bunion, and to rest lightly on the same without causing dis-- comfort. The orificeand 'flap collectivelyform an adjustable closed socket, conformmg to the height of the protuberance. The

flap is displaceable, as shown by Figure 5,

to expose the protuberance and permit the application of salve thereto, the salvebeing confined in contact with the protuberance by the wall of the orifice and by the flap. The shield whemused for bunions, is relatively large. as shown by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

A corn shield embodying the invention, is of smaller size, as shown by Figures 6 and 7; I prefer to make the shield from a single piece of felt having a slit 16, extending from one end partly to the opposite end, as

shown by Figure 2, said slit partially sub dividing the piece and forming the outer side of the base portion and the inner side of the flap. The orifice 13 is'formed after the slit is cut and while the flap is displaced. The base and flap are, therefore, united by an integral portion of the piece, so that the accidental detachment of the flap from the base.

The anchoring means of my invention used with a bunion shield, is embodied as follows:

18 represents a flexible strap, preferably a piece of tape, attached at one end, as by stitches 20, to the outer side of the shield, and projecting therefrom' at an angle as shown by Figure 3. 21 and 22 represent short holding-down strips preferably of tape, united at their ends by stitches 20 to the outer side of the shield, the strips being free between their ends, so that the strap 18 may be inserted between them, and theouter side of the shield. The arrangement of the strips is such that the strap may be passed in one direction under the strip 21, across the outer side of the strip 22, and in the opposite direction under the latter, the strap being bent across one edge of the strip 22, as shoWn by Figure 4, so that thestrap cannot reeve freely or accidentally under the strips. The strap is thus formed into a loop, adapted to embrace a great toe and confine the shield in the desired relation to a bunion adjacent to the baseof the toe. The size of the loop may be varied by withdrawing the strap from-the strip 22, reeving it in one direction or the other under the strip 21, and again engaging it with the strip 22.

To facilitate the threading of the strap under the strips 21 and 22, I stiffen the free end portion of the strap preferably by applying a coating 24 of shellac thereto.

The flap 14 may be made in a separate piece from the base portion 12, as shown by Figures 6 and 7 and cemented to the base portion at 26' (Figure 7). Aflexible reinforcing strip 27 of paper, muslin, or other suitable material, may be cemented, or otherwise secured to the hinged end portion of the flap, and to the corresponding end portion of the body 12, said strip being adapted to be bent by the operation of displacing the flap. The strip 27 may be used on a shield in which the flap is integral with the body. 1

The protector, when embodied in a corn shield, may be secured in place by flexible strips, coated on one side with an-adhesive,

such as the -well known Z. O. surgeons plaster, the coated sides of the strips .being pressed against, and caused to adhere to the shield. ,The end portions of the strips project in opposite directions from the shield, and are adapted to be pressed against and caused to adhere to portions of a toe.

protuberance, and displaceable to expose the same, the orifice and flap forming an adi 2. A shield of the character stated, com

posed of a single piece of compressible material, split from one end partly to the opposite end to form a base portion and an integral flap, the base portion being provided with an orifice normally covered by the flap, and adapted to receive a protuberance, the flap being adapted to conform to the projection of the protuberance, and displaceable to expose the same, the orifice and flap forming an adjustable closed socket.

3. A bunion shield composed of a normally flat flexible pad of compressible material having a bunion-receiving orifiice in its inner side, formed to receive and entirely surround a protuberance, and a flap of similar material, connected at one end with the base portion and normally covering the orifice, one end portion of the outer side of the shield being provided with adjustable anchoring means comprising a flexible strap attached at one end to the shield, and a pair of. holding-down strips attached to the shield and arranged to confine two portions of the strap against the outer side of the shield, the strap being movable endwise under said strips, and the arrangement being such that the strip may be bent across one edge of one of the strips, to prevent reeving of the strap.

4. A bunion shield substantially as specified by claim 3, the free end of the strap being stiffened to facilitate its insertion under said strips.

5. A shield substantially as specified by claim 1, provided with a reinforcing strip secured to the flap and to one end of the base portion.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JOSEPH H. SMITH. 

